Role of potential ethno-medicinal plants resources of Kalimath valley (District Rudraprayag) Uttarakhand, India in health care

The present communication deals with the documentation of traditional medicines used by the local people/Vaidyas inhabiting in Kalimath valley of district Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. The local Vaidyas who are likely to disappear from the society were approached to record such tresure of traditional knowledge. A total of 75 ethnomedicinal plant species (belonging to 37 families and 55 genera) including rare, endangered and threatened species are used by the native people for the treatment of over 25 ailments ranging from headache to highly complicated heart problems. Among the plant parts utilized in treatment of ailments, leaves (41.33%) were recorded as most utilized plants parts followed by rhizome/root/tuber (38.66%), fruit/seed (25.33%), and stem/bark (20%). As far as major part of plant species in the treatment of different ailments is concerned, 31 species have their role in the treatment of stomach disorder, 19 species in fever and for injuries and wounds 18 species used by the local communites.